Background Information
Although Project Server saves project plans in a SQL database, the project data is stored first in a binary field and then the system extracts the data to the data tables from the binary field. When corruption occurs in the database, it often manifests in the binary record and remains invisible in the extracted data tables. When corruption occurs in the binary record, you must force the system to recreate the binary record to resolve the corruption. Saving a project as an .mpp file and importing it back to the server does not solve this problem. You can save to XML and then import the plan back to the server to force the binary rebuild, but because of issues with the XML model in 2003, this does not always solve the problem.
Resolution
The project manager of the corrupted project should complete the following steps:
1. Launch Microsoft Project Professional and log into Project Server
2. Open the project displaying symptoms of corruption
3. Click File - Save Offline (do not click File - Save As)
4. Close the file using File - Close
The Project Server administrator should then complete the following steps, in cooperation with a SQL Server DBA if necessary:
1. Launch the SQL Server Enterprise Manager and log in with administrator permissions
2. Select the Project Server database
3. Open the MSP_PROJECTS table and return all rows
4. Change the value of the PROJ_EXT_EDITED field from 0 to 1 for the corrupted project
Warning: Be very careful to perform step #4 above for the specific project only, and not for the Enterprise Resource Pool or Enterprise Global file.
The project manager of the corrupted project should complete the following steps:
1. Launch Microsoft Project Professional and log into Project Server
2. Open the project displaying symptoms of corruption
3. Click File - Save Online
4. Click the Yes button when prompted to update the project previously saved as Offline
5. Close the file using File - Close